Opportunities, Challenges, and Bottlenecks in the Implemantation of Surface Mount Technology

The introduction of Surface Mount Technology into the electronics manufacturing environment presents an opportunity to correct many of the problems inherent in the existing through-hole world which evolved with very little detailed planning or coordination. The prospect of being able to generate a technology where design, components and assembly technology represent a coherent whole rather than a patchwork of divergent interests is very exciting. The problems to be addressed are correspondingly challenging.